Portable performance platform

Abstract

A portable performance platform for the performing arts includes a wheel mounted chassis adapted for towing by an automobile or truck. A staging compartment is mounted on the chassis that includes front and rear end walls, opposed sidewalls, an overhead roof, and a compartment floor. Opposed telescoping towers are mounted on the front and rear ends of the chassis to provide right and left upright supports for the overhead roof. The compartment sidewalls are pivotally carried along opposed side margins of the roof, and are outwardly extendible to present an extended canopy in conjunction with the roof when the platform is set up in its performance configuration. A unique actuating assembly raises and lowers the sidewalls in tandem, and tilts the raised canopy to an acoustically desirable orientation. In the performing configuration, the platform aprons of the portable performance platform are pivoted downwardly so as to be flush with the compartment floor. The forward apron is articulated to present an enlarged stage platform in the extended position and includes a unique apron actuating assembly for raising and lowering the platform between performance and stowed configurations.

I Claim: 
     
       1. A portable platform for the performing arts or the like, comprising: a chassis having ground engaging wheels for overland transportation of said platform;   a staging compartment operably carried by said chassis including a roof panel, a pair of opposed side panels hinged to said roof panel and a main stage panel hinged to said chassis;   means operably coupled to said roof panel and said side panels for selectively reconfiguring said roof and side panels between a stowed configuration suitable for overland transportation wherein said roof panel is disposed in a horizontal plane and said side panels are disposed in spaced parallel vertical planes and a performance configuration wherein said roof and side panels cooperate to present a canopy directed upwardly and outwardly toward a performance area to one side of said chassis; and   means operably coupled to said main stage panels for selectively reconfiguring said main stage panel between a vertically disposed stowed configuration suitable for overland transportation and a horizontally disposed performance configuration wherein said main stage panel is disposed horizontally to present a stage floor.   
     
     
       2. The portable platform of claim 1, wherein said means for reconfiguring said roof and said side panels comprises: a pair of columns extending vertically from said chassis and supporting said roof panel at each end thereof, respectively;   a cam lever mounted on each column for pivotal and slidable movement;   a pair of struts pivotally attached to said respective side panels at each end thereof and extending to a common point on said cam lever;   means for sliding each said cam lever up and down along the axis of said column in unison; and   a boss on each column disposed for engagement with said cam lever at its upward limit of travel to cause said cam lever to pivot, thereby causing said side panels to pivot from said stowed configuration to said performance configuration.   
     
     
       3. The portable platform of claim 2 wherein said cam lever is mounted for pivotal and slidable movement on a block slidable along the axis of said columns. 
     
     
       4. The portable platform of claim 3, wherein said means for sliding each said cam lever up and down along the axis of each column comprises: a threaded member axially disposed in said column and threadably connected to said block, and means for axially rotating said threaded member to thereby slide said block and cam lever up and down each said column.